Time For Anny
by Denise Felt
Summary: A possible security leak at the studio has some interesting consequences for Cmdr. Straker.


Time for Anny (A UFO Story) by Denise Felt Copyright 2001  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"MaX! Something's wrong."  
  
The harlequin turned as he walked past and stared with some appreciation at the woman near an arch of the Colosseum. She was beautifully gowned in a white toga with gold trim, and her long brown hair was intricately braided about her head. But she was obviously bonkers, because there was no one else in sight that she could be speaking to. The harlequin raised his brows at her, and she dismissed him with indignance, turning away to gaze beyond the archway of the Colosseum into the arena itself. The man shrugged and headed down the road. It wasn't his problem.  
  
"What do you mean, wrong?" The voice from the communications interface in her ear sounded exasperated. "You're at the Colosseum, aren't you?"  
  
AnE sighed. "Yes. But it's the wrong size."  
  
There was a slight pause. "Um... AnE? How wrong is the size?"  
  
Her head was nearly level with the pillared archways. "I'd say it's a scale mock-up, MaX. Everything's in its place. But it's all too small." She shivered slightly as a chilly breeze came across the hill where she stood. She looked up as an airplane flew low overhead and said, "I don't think I'm in Rome, MaX. Ancient or otherwise."  
  
"Okay, okay. Hold on. I'm checking." There was silence for a moment. "Um...AnE? The computer says you're at the Colosseum."  
  
"MaX!" she retorted, losing her patience. She hated computer glitches. "I just saw a plane. I don't think this is Ancient Rome."  
  
"A plane? Oh, wow."  
  
"Besides, it's too cold for Italy. This may be the Colosseum, but it's definitely not the one where I'm supposed to be."  
  
"Listen, AnE. I'll check again. Just stay put, okay? The last time we had a computer glitch, I found you in a sultan's harem."  
  
"Hey! That wasn't my fault."  
  
MaX wisely made no reply, and AnE ventured into the arena. The mock-up was beautifully detailed, containing all the archways and pillars of the original. AnE wondered vaguely what it had been built for, since it would be difficult to get much use out of it at this size. Anyone standing in the archways or in the arena itself would seem much larger than life. After a few minutes spent wandering around without coming up with any answers, AnE lost interest and wandered down the road that the harlequin had taken earlier. It had to lead somewhere, and maybe she might be able to figure out where the devil she was!  
  
As she came past a small wooded area, she could see the top of a large structure set off in the distance. AnE frowned. What on Earth was that doing here? She quickened her step and headed for it. By the time she had reached it, her senses were almost numb. Along the way she had seen an Old American West ghost town, a dilapidated Gothic house behind a wrought iron fence, and a Victorian square, and could only look up at the tall stone structure without comment. It was the Notre Dame Cathedral. Not quite as tall as it should be, and certainly not where it should be; but AnE was beyond such considerations by now. It was definitely Notre Dame, down to the damned gargoyles!  
  
Where the hell was she?  
  
"MaX, you won't believe what I'm looking at," she said.  
  
"You're probably right," he answered wryly in her ear.  
  
"It's Notre Dame, MaX," she said, ignoring his sarcasm. "Looking pretty good, too, considering that it's rather small."  
  
"What did you do, AnE?" the technician asked her. "End up in Munchkinland?"  
  
"Look, you!" she retorted fiercely under her breath as a group of people walked by. "You're the one who took me out of Kansas in the first place!"  
  
"Now, AnE," he placated, not wanting to get her stirred up. AnE's temper was the one part of her personality that MaX had no desire to see again. He'd watched her once reduce a man ten years her senior to a cowering mass. He'd witnessed it firsthand, having been that unfortunate man. He might be her mentor and favorite tech to be with on an assignment, but AnE pulled no punches when she was on a roll. Thankfully, his screen cleared just then and he could say, "Okay, AnE. It looks like you're right. You're not in Ancient Rome."  
  
"Thank you ever so much, MaX dear," she retorted acidly. "So kind of you to point that out to me. Does the computer by any chance know where I am?"  
  
"Um...no."  
  
"Great. Just great."  
  
"I'm still working on it. What did the plane look like? Maybe I can get a better fix on the time period if I know when to look."  
  
AnE wanted to scream. But there were people wandering about, and she didn't want to look like a raving lunatic. Depending on the historical era, she might end up being stoned. So she took a deep breath and said between her teeth, "How the hell should I know what the plane looked like, MaX? It was a plane. Wings. Flew. What else is there? My specialty is Ancient scientific cultures, remember? I know very little about transportation past the chariot."  
  
"Sorry. I meant, did it have two or four wings? A propeller blade or a jet engine? Did it leave a trail or not? Could you hear anything? Stuff like that."  
  
AnE thought back. "Two. Jet. No. Yes. Does that help?"  
  
MaX calculated quickly. "I'd say you were somewhen in the late Twentieth century or early Twenty-first."  
  
AnE nodded. "Okay. So where am I?"  
  
"I'm not sure. It sounds like an amusement park of some kind. Are there any long lines of people waiting to see the attractions?"  
  
"No."  
  
"How are the people dressed? Formal? Casual?"  
  
"Well," AnE hesitated as she looked around her. How to explain the wide divergence of clothing worn by the natives? "Some seem to be casual, but others definitely aren't. And there are several in costumes of one sort or another."  
  
"Costumes? Are they on a theme?"  
  
"No. I've seen clowns and monks, princesses and punks. It's very odd."  
  
MaX's sigh came through the comm. "AnE, it sounds like a madhouse. I have no idea where you are. Can you find some type of sign?"  
  
"I don't know, MaX. There is a building complex up ahead. Perhaps I can find something out there."  
  
"Okay. But stay out of trouble."  
  
AnE rolled her eyes, but made no comment as she headed toward the tall rectangular buildings in the distance. Of a rather outdated design from a time when glass ruled architecture, they were nonetheless more modern looking than any other structure she had yet seen. As she approached the main building, she could see various ground transportation parked in the lot out front. A few were sleek enough to almost be in a brochure for the latest in airrides, while others looked so outdated that they were hideous. It was strange to see such a wide variety of vehicles, and she studied them for a while before she noticed the large silver sign to the side of the main drive. She read it carefully; but although she understood the words, they meant little to her.  
  
"MaX, I found the sign. It says, Harlington-Straker Film Studios."  
  
MaX checked the computer. "Hold for a minute. Then you're in England."  
  
"England? That's a little north of Rome, MaX!"  
  
"I realize that. Oh, wow, AnE. It's an entertainment center. They make vidflicks."  
  
"For real?" AnE was stunned, but at least it explained the assortment of buildings and people that she had seen. "Like The Wizard of Oz?"  
  
"Yes. Only they're made on thin strips of film in this time period. Not lux."  
  
"Oh. Film Studios. Got it. And what is this time period, MaX?"  
  
"Well, it's somewhen in the Twentieth century at a guess. Definitely past 1975, because that's when the studio began operations. Did you see a large pyramid in your wanderings?"  
  
"No. Why?"  
  
"Because according to the records, they built one for a major film production in 1999, and it remained on the lot for years."  
  
"So, I'm somewhen between 1975 and 1999."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"MaX, how did I end up here?"  
  
"AnE, I have no idea. But we'll get you out of there, I promise."  
  
***  
  
"Oh, Gods!"  
  
"AnE?" MaX had never heard that tone in her voice before. "What is it? What's wrong?"  
  
She grinned and drawled, "Not a thing, MaX. Absolutely nothing at all."  
  
It was the way she said it that had him worried. "Cut it out, AnE! What's going on?"  
  
She sighed. "I think I'm in love, MaX."  
  
"AnE! And here I thought you were in trouble or something!"  
  
"No, no. You don't understand, MaX. I am in trouble. Gods, he's absolutely the most beautiful creature I have ever seen!"  
  
MaX's sigh was longsuffering. "All right then. What's he look like?"  
  
AnE watched the man in the cream suit as he walked from his car toward the entrance of the studio building, enjoying the way his lean body moved. "Blonde. Really blonde. Face of a Botticelli angel. Beautiful. Powerful. Dangerous." She frowned momentarily. "Maybe a fallen angel. Anyway--- gorgeous. Looks great even with his eyes covered."  
  
"Covered? Is he wearing sunglasses?"  
  
"Is that what they're called?" As he disappeared into the building, she headed after him. "Listen, MaX. Keep working on that glitch. I'll get back to you later."  
  
"AnE! Hold o---!" His voice was cut off as she touched the comm just inside her ear canal. It would only silence communications for a minute or two, but it would be long enough. She smiled to herself as she opened the glass doors and went inside, imagining the stream of curses she would not be able to hear now. Poor MaX! She did enjoy working with him--- truly she did. But he could be so annoyingly cautious at times.  
  
***  
  
Straker took his sunglasses off as he entered the lobby and was hailed by the secretary at the main desk as he walked through on his way to his office. There was a call for him from the front gate. He took it with a sigh, aware that Wells was taking his new duties in security very seriously. The ex-interceptor pilot might no longer have the dexterity to fly against the aliens that were a constant menace to Earth, but his dedication to duty had not wavered in the least, in spite of the crash that had grounded him for good. He was conscientious to the point of obsessiveness in his job as gateman. Well, the commander sighed again as he listened to the man's latest concern, it kept him occupied.  
  
He gradually became aware of eyes on him. It was a feeling he had tried to get used to around the studio, ever since he'd allowed them to talk him into doing some acting for a few of the many films they put out every year. As a cover for the global organization grimly humming away several levels below, the film studio had at first seemed ideal. Nothing that could possibly happen on the lots would seem at all out of the ordinary as long as they kept cameras around to make it look like a film in production. But they'd been successful enough with their movies to cause the studio to grow, which in turn demanded more of his time away from other, more pressing duties. And while he enjoyed the work very much, he didn't think he would ever get used to the adulation that came with his position as head of the studios or the wide-eyed awe of the fans who had seen his face onscreen.  
  
So as he hung up the phone, having answered Wells' question, he stood for a moment and surveyed the lobby. When he met her gaze, his eyes widened involuntarily. She was stunning. Large green eyes tilted at the corners, tiny nose, full sensual lips, and a small pointed chin gave her the appearance of some exotic cat. Her long brown hair was arranged in a fall down her back, with numerous small braids woven around a gold hair ornament on her head. And her gown was... exquisite, even while it was positively indecent. Draped from a gold sash at her hips, the white skirt fell to her feet where delicate gold sandals were strapped. But the bodice was little more than a wrap of gold-trimmed white attached at the hip with a gold clasp and flung carelessly over the opposite shoulder to hang down her back almost to the floor. It covered her charms amply; it was more the thought of how easy it would be for a strong breeze to expose those same charms that made it seem indecent. In spite of the immodesty of such a tantalizing garment, she seemed to have no trouble wearing the costume. But surely no designer who worked for him had thought up such an amazing creation? He walked toward her, his eyes narrowing as he tried to remember if that film about Ancient Rome had run into any post- production trouble. He was fairly certain that it had wrapped up filming about three weeks ago.  
  
"Excuse me," he said when he reached her. "Are you here for The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire?"  
  
AnE gasped. "Certainly not!" she said indignantly. "I would never countenance such a thing!"  
  
In her ear, MaX groaned, while Straker's eyes narrowed further. "AnE!" the tech hissed at her. "It's a vidflick!"  
  
She recovered swiftly and smiled at him. "Oh, how silly of me! You meant the movie."  
  
"Yes." She had a lovely smile, Straker couldn't help noticing. It would have taken her far in her acting career, he had no doubt. Except that he had never seen that exotic face before, and that was a puzzle in itself. Surely a woman of such unique beauty would rise quickly to the top?  
  
His eyes were blue, AnE saw, now that he was close enough and no longer staring at herwith narrowed eyes. Very blue. Like the Mediterranean on a summer day. And she had been right in her first assessment of him. He was gorgeous! "Are you Caesar?"  
  
He raised a brow. "No."  
  
"I'm surprised." She held out her hand. "I'm AnE."  
  
Straker shook it. "Hello, Anny. I'm Straker," he said.  
  
"Oh? As in, Harlington-Straker?"  
  
He smiled. "Yes. I run these studios."  
  
AnE gazed thoughtfully at him for a moment. He had such an aura of power about him that she had no doubt that he was an important man. But somehow she had not expected him to be nothing more than an entertainment icon. It didn't fit. "And Harlington?" she asked, forever curious. "Is he about somewhere?"  
  
He frowned, then realized that she was probably from another country and did not know the area. Try as he might, though, he could not figure out which country. It was impossible to place her accent. "Harlington is the town where we're located," he explained.  
  
"Oh." Her smile widened. "Are you in charge of the town, as well?"  
  
"No." Straker found her questions naive. And a little baffling. But he could see that his last response had disappointed her. "I'm not into politics," he said apologetically.  
  
AnE shook her head. "You must learn to think larger," she said. "Widen your scope. You are a man made for great things. You must let nothing stop you from achieving your goals. Perhaps you may someday rule the entire district of England."  
  
His brows raised, he tried to figure out what she meant by that statement. Surely no one was so naive that they were unaware of the succession of British royalty? "I'm not of royal blood."  
  
AnE seemed nonplused for a moment, then gave him a fierce look. "You should not let that stand in your way."  
  
In spite of himself, he laughed. She was really quite amusing. However, he had a few questions of his own that he wanted answered. "Did you get this costume out of Wardrobe?" Up close it was even more delicately crafted than it had appeared before, with gold threads woven throughout, and he was fairly sure that if he touched the fabric, he would feel fine linen.  
  
She was spared having to come up with a satisfactory answer, because the secretary at the main desk called to him just then, saying that Mr. Freeman was on the phone asking for him. He sighed and told her he'd be right there. He gave AnE a look that said that he wasn't finished with her, nodded once in a very commanding way, then returned to the desk.  
  
Being no fool, AnE took the first opportunity to slip out of the building.  
  
***  
  
"MaX, tell me you've found the glitch," AnE said as she slipped into a nearby building.  
  
His sigh was loud in her ear. "I wish I could. Hell, AnE! That was a close call!"  
  
"I know," she acknowledged. "But it was worth it. Gods, what a fascinating man!"  
  
He grumbled something inaudible in her ear, but it wasn't necessary for her to ask him to repeat it. From his tone, she already knew that it was uncomplimentary to her. "Really, MaX. How unkind! And I haven't yelled at you at all for dumping me in this godforsaken place." "Believe me, AnE. I appreciate your reticence."  
  
"Then be nice to me."  
  
"I'll try."  
  
She grinned, but became serious after a moment. "MaX, how long am I going to be stuck here?"  
  
"I don't know, AnE," he answered worriedly. "We still haven't figured out how you ended up there in the first place. And until we locate that error, it would be far too dangerous to try to take you elsewhere. Even bringing you home is out of the question until we know what went wrong."  
  
"Okay," she said with a sigh. Glitches were thankfully a rare occurrence, but they did happen. And any researcher with years of experience had dealt with at least one in the line of duty. AnE just felt that she'd already fulfilled her quota of glitches for a lifetime. Surely there was a limit of problems she could run into?  
  
She glanced around her at the people purposefully entering and exiting the building. As oddly as some of them were dressed, at least they belonged here. They knew what they were doing and where they were going. Unfortunately, she was way out of her area of expertise and could only feel hopelessly lost in this culture. "MaX, I can't stay here all day. Is there somewhere I can go to wait this out?"  
  
Because he knew her well, he could discern the uncertainty in her voice. It surprised him, but only for a moment. After all, he had seen her deal with overfriendly sultans and renegade Roman soldiers without getting ruffled. But this time period must seem to her almost like being set down on another planet. The culture and mores of the era would be that different from what she knew about or had worked with in the past. "Listen, AnE," he said soothingly. "Why don't you go into London to one of the big hotels? Any taxi should be able to take you there. And you can sit back and enjoy the benefits of room service until we get this glitch fixed. Okay?"  
  
"Sounds good, MaX. But I can hardly traipse around London wearing this pulla. It might be all right here at the studio, but once I'm in the city, it will look ludicrous."  
  
"No problem," he answered. "They should have a Wardrobe department in one of those buildings. You heard that Straker fellow mention it. Just go there and find something more suitable for that time period to change into."  
  
AnE grinned. "You know, MaX, you're really good. That's a great idea. Now all I have to do is find the Wardrobe department." She saw a dark- haired man come out of one of the offices and approached him. "Excuse me," she said to him. "Can you tell me where the Wardrobe department is?"  
  
He looked at her and stopped in his tracks. And gave her a long, slow second glance that took in every detail of her outfit. In fact, so minute was his perusal that AnE felt decidedly exposed. He suddenly smiled at her and said, "Sure. It's in Building C, the next one over from here."  
  
"Thank you." She turned to leave, but he stopped her with a hand on her bare arm.  
  
"I haven't seen you around here before," he said smoothly. "I'm Paul Foster. What's your name?"  
  
AnE smiled, but inwardly she was groaning. She recognized that look in his eyes. And wasn't it just her luck to meet the studio's version of Mark Antony? "Hello, Paulfoster," she replied as she slid out of his hold and headed for the door. "You've been very helpful."  
  
"Wait!" Paul had no intention of losing sight of this lovely filly, especially since she was dressed so seductively. He caught up with her as she left the building and said, "You didn't tell me your name."  
  
AnE admired his perseverance; really she did. At another time, she might even have rewarded him suitably for it. But at the moment, her most pressing desire was to be somewhere quiet where she could relax and wait for things to be straightened out with the computer. So she gave him a slight smile and answered, "You're right. I didn't."  
  
He blinked at her as he realized that was her final answer, but watched her walk toward Building C with no loss to his initial excitement. It was a setback, but not one he considered too difficult to handle. He'd find out what shoot she was on and look her up. He'd dealt with girls who played hard-to-get before. Sooner or later, they always got caught. He prided himself on being very good at all his recreational activities.  
  
Chapter 2  
  
The commander entered his office and pensively lifted the lid of the fine silver cigar case on his desk. Instead of removing one of the expensive cigars inside, he merely said absently, "Straker."  
  
A tinny voice replied from the interior of the case, "Voice identification positive. Commander Straker."  
  
He shut the lid and pushed the button to send his studio office down the several levels into SHADO HQ with an automatic gesture, his thoughts far away. As he seated himself behind the desk, he picked up the phone. "Miss Ealand?" he asked his secretary. "Is the Roman Empire documentary still filming on Lot 4?" Something about that girl was ringing all of his bells, and he couldn't figure out what it was. A hunch; an instinct, perhaps. But something about her just wasn't adding up. He wanted to know more.  
  
"No, sir," Miss Ealand responded, checking the log. "They finished up filming on the ninth. Almost three weekr ago. Did you wish to contact the director about something?"  
  
"No, that's fine. Wait. Yes. Get Harlan for me, will you?"  
  
"Yes, sir." She dialed the number for the office the director was using during post-production and got him on the line. "Here he is, sir. Line 2."  
  
"Thank you, Miss Ealand." Straker pushed the button for his second line. "Harlan? This is Straker. Are you doing any reshooting for the documentary? No, not at all. I thought it looked good too. It's just that I... Yes, it was very believable. Who handled the costumes for you? Was it Morley? Hmmm. Yes, I see. No, no, of course not. I thought they were fine. I was just wondering if he had commissioned a special gown for anything? I see. You just revamped the stuff from Julius Caesar. Well, it looks wonderful. Yes. It will be good to see the finished cut. Of course. Be sure to have Miss Ealand put it on my calendar. No, there was nothing else. Right."  
  
He hung up the phone with a frown. That gown had definitely not been used in the documentary. So where had it come from, and why was it being worn now? It was a mystery. And the woman who wore it was just as much of a mystery. Who could she be? Anny.  
  
When he entered the control room, Alec was on the monitor talking to Moonbase. Lt. Ford was at the radar and filled him in quickly on the situation. "Two UFOs, sir. Bearing 534 Green. Trajectory, Southern England."  
  
"Thank you, Lieutenant." Straker turned to his second in command as he finished speaking to Lt. Ellis on the monitor. "Well, Alec?"  
  
Col. Freeman said, "We've launched the interceptors."  
  
"Good." The commander laid a hand on his friend's shoulder for a moment. "Let me know the outcome." And he strode away toward his HQ office.  
  
Alec looked after him, slightly puzzled. Ed usually liked to see a battle with the aliens through to its end. There wasn't much he considered more important than that. What could be going on to distract him at a time like this?  
  
***  
  
"AnE, you've been at this for hours! Surely it can't take this long to find something to wear?"  
  
AnE grinned at the technician's exasperated tone. "Of course, it can, MaX. It's the most important question in any woman's day. Naturally, it takes time."  
  
MaX's sigh was longsuffering. "Well, I can tell you that this time period doesn't wear corsets. Or whalebone. I'm leaving the rest up to you."  
  
"Thanks, MaX. So kind of you." AnE finally spotted a clothing rack among the many in the large room that held outfits similar to what she had seen the female staff at the studio wearing. "Okay, MaX. I think I've found what I've been searching for. Now, I just have to decide which color jacket will look best with my complexion."  
  
The technician audibly ground his teeth while AnE's grin widened. She loved her job. Not only was it guaranteed to be exciting, but it allowed her to tease MaX mercilessly. She considered it the high spot of each day when she got him to the point of pulling out hair. "You realize," he said grimly, "that by the time you find something to put on, we'll probably have the glitch fixed!"  
  
"And I will be ever so grateful, too," she answered sweetly, drawing a burgundy mohair jacket off its hanger and trying it on for size.  
  
***  
  
Alec sipped his bourbon, watching silently as his friend finished up his paperwork about the attack. He was worried, but Ed seemed to be unconcerned about the implications. In fact, the colonel had been fairly certain that his attention had been divided during the whole thing. And anything that had the power to distract the commander from a UFO attack was a worry to his second in command. But he bided his time. He'd get it out of him sooner or later. Years of working with Straker had taught him how to get him to talk, and when. It was always a matter of timing.  
  
Straker put down his pen and closed the report, meeting his friend's eyes for the first time in several minutes. "Alec. You look worried."  
  
"I am." Freeman shifted in his chair to get more comfortable. "Damn it, Ed! They were toying with us."  
  
The commander sat back in his chair and folded his hands. "I agree. Suicidal entry speeds to keep us from intercepting them before they reach the atmosphere, then slowing down only to change course erratically once in the stratosphere to avoid the Skyjets. The ploy would have worked, too, if we hadn't been doing drills and had them all airborne to start with. We got lucky. This time."  
  
Alec grunted. "And what about next time?"  
  
"I don't know, Alec. It hasn't been easy keeping ahead of them. Every year it gets harder. We're up against a superior technology, and it's difficult to even keep our heads above water most of the time. What are we supposed to be able to do to fight them off when they try something new? How can we ever hope to win this damn war?"  
  
The colonel got up and set his empty glass back on the shelf of the dispenser bar in the corner. It upset him whenever Ed got discouraged. Especially since the commander considered himself an optimist. If he was finally saying that it was all hopeless, where could they go from here? He turned from the bar in time to see Straker rub a weary hand across his eyes. And thought perhaps he understood his despair. The commander was filming a movie on Lot 5 and working full shifts here at HQ as well. He had to be on the edge of exhaustion. "Listen, Ed. Why don't you head on home? I'll keep an eye on things for you here until Paul's shift starts."  
  
Straker gave him a look. "Are you saying I'm asleep at the wheel, Alec? Buckling under the pressure?"  
  
Alec almost answered sharply, then saw the twinkle at the back of those stern blue eyes. He sighed with relief. "Of course not! But all those long hours at the studio have to be affecting you. Didn't you have a makeup call at 4:30 this morning?"  
  
His friend grinned. "Are you telling me I need a nap, Mother?"  
  
Freeman gave a crack of laughter and sat back down. "Sure. And cover up with your favorite blanky, too."  
  
Straker chuckled. "I'm fine, Alec. A little tired, I guess. But I can finish this shift. It's midafternoon, for God's sake! Can you see me going home this early?"  
  
"Miss Ealand would insist on calling a doctor if you did. Or Security, thinking you were an imposter or something."  
  
Straker's grin disappeared. "Security. Damn. I completely forgot!"  
  
"What?"  
  
The commander picked up the phone on his desk. "Miss Ealand, get me Wells at the main gate, please."  
  
"Yes, sir." The secretary connected him.  
  
"Wells? This is Straker. I want you to check the logs for this morning for a young woman named Anny. No, I don't have a last name. One of the actresses. I want to know where she's scheduled today. A brunette. Rather long. Green eyes. I'll wait." He met his friend's raised brows with a scowl. Trust Alec to instantly assume his queries were personal. Didn't he know him better than that after all these years?  
  
The colonel only grinned. He did know Ed, which was why he took every opportunity he could to tease him about his complete lack of social life. If anyone should loosen up a bit, in his opinion, it was Straker. All work and no play was making him a very depressed boy. Not to mention irritable.  
  
"What was that? But there has to be. No, it wasn't the countess. She was young. Midtwenties. Seemed foreign. Possibly American, but I'm not sure. Yes. Well, keep looking. And let the staff know to be on the lookout, will you? She was wearing a white toga. Thanks." Straker hung up the phone to see his friend's grin widen. He sighed. "I don't want to hear it."  
  
"A toga?" Alec inquired delightedly, ignoring his comment. "Well, now."  
  
Whatever blistering remark Straker may have made was cut off as Col. Foster walked into the office. He sauntered over to the drinks cabinet while Alec sat grinning with folded arms and his commander scowled. "I heard about the attack," Paul said as he poured himself a scotch. "They're getting sneaky."  
  
"Yes," Straker replied. "And that means that we're just going to have to get sneakier."  
  
Paul nodded and leaned against the wall. "Got any ideas?"  
  
His commander shook his head. "Not at the moment. But we've got the research department working on a few things that might help us. We'll just have to wait and see."  
  
Col. Foster sighed and downed his scotch. He hated waiting. "Hey, Alec. Been up top today?"  
  
Col. Freeman glanced at him, noting his sly smile. "Not since fairly early. Why?"  
  
"I met one of the new actresses."  
  
Alec raised a brow, and Paul's smile widened into a wicked grin. Oh, yeah? he thought. Then Alec noticed that Straker was ignoring them both and had gone back to work. So he asked facetiously, "Was she in a toga?"  
  
Straker's head came up at that, but Paul's response had him biting back his acid reply. The colonel lost his grin and said, "Oh. You've met her already?"  
  
Alec sputtered, but the commander said, "Paul, where did you see her?"  
  
He shrugged. "In Building B. She was asking where Wardrobe was."  
  
"You told her?"  
  
Paul blinked at the accusation. "Sure. Why not?"  
  
Straker grabbed the phone and got hold of Wells, directing the security men to Building C. When he hung up the phone, his grim expression made Alec say, "Ed, what did she do? Do we have a security leak?"  
  
The commander rubbed his eyes. "I wish I knew." He turned to Foster. "Paul, you met her. What were your impressions?"  
  
Paul grinned. "Are you kidding?"  
  
Straker's lips compressed. "Besides that."  
  
"Oh." The colonel thought for a moment, then shrugged. "I'm sorry, sir. I really didn't notice anything unusual about her. Except for the obvious, of course."  
  
Alec was intrigued. "And what was that, Paul?"  
  
But Straker cut in. "Did she tell you her full name?"  
  
Foster scowled. "No. But don't worry. Somebody's bound to know it. A girl like that."  
  
Alec asked with a grin, "Like what, Paul?"  
  
Straker's phone rang, and he picked it up. "Yes? What? I see. Listen, Wells. I'm on my way there. Alert the gates. And find her!" He slammed the phone down and stood up, straightening his jacket.  
  
Col. Freeman took one look at him and said, "What is it, Ed?"  
  
Straker was decidedly grim. "Security just found her toga."  
  
Paul gasped. "What? Where?"  
  
"In Wardrobe."  
  
Alec met his eyes, realizing that there really was a serious security problem. "Jesus."  
  
***  
  
AnE paced the small lounge, cursing MaX under her breath. Him and that damned computer! Landing her into hostile territory. Now she was in trouble and had no idea what to expect. Did this era have prisons? Torture? Executions? How deep a pit was she in, anyway? When the door to the lounge opened, she held her breath.  
  
Then let it out slightly. It was Caesar. "Hello, Straker."  
  
He met her eyes and his grim expression lessened in spite of himself. She did not have the appearance of a spy, either for some other studio or for the aliens. She looked like a child who had lost its mother. "Hello, Anny." He came over to a set of small couches and said, "Won't you have a seat?"  
  
She relaxed and sat down. It didn't sound as though torture would be on the menu. "Thanks." He laid her toga and sandals on the other sofa and sat next to them, fingering the fabric. It didn't take any of the degrees she held to know why she'd been brought here. Great. MaX's bright idea had her branded a common thief! In ancient Rome, they would have cut off her hand for that, but she didn't know what he would do. He didn't seem angry. So she smiled a little sheepishly at him, touching the deep v-neck of the jacket she was wearing. "I suppose you're wondering about this."  
  
Straker nodded gravely. "Yes, Anny. Among other things."  
  
"Well..." She thought furiously while MaX hissed a curse in her ear. Prevarication had never been AnE's strong point. "Everyone was looking at me, so I thought I'd better change."  
  
The commander merely said, "I see. Where did the gown come from, Anny? Wardrobe has no record of it."  
  
"Oh. Well, it's mine."  
  
Remembering how easily she wore the unusual gown made him realize that she was probably telling the truth about that. "But surely you knew it was wrong to take clothing out of Wardrobe without authorization?"  
  
"Is it? Oh. Well, I was only borrowing them. I would have put them back."  
  
He raised a brow. "You were leaving the studio grounds, Anny. We stopped your taxi at the gate. When were you planning to return them?"  
  
AnE frowned. Damn. She could hardly tell him that she had intended to return them seconds after they had been taken. He wouldn't understand. "Tomorrow?" she replied hopefully.  
  
He smiled slightly. She was really very sweet. And a pathetic liar. He began to wonder if she was even an actress. "I see. What film are you working on, Anny?"  
  
"Um... the one you mentioned..." She listened as MaX whispered the title to refresh her memory. "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire."  
  
"Hmmm." He sat back, seeing her relieved smile. "Then you are acting a part in that film?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
He shook his head sadly. "I'm so sorry, Anny, that no one told you."  
  
She swallowed. "Told me what?"  
  
"That filming ended three weeks ago."  
  
Her eyes met his in shock, and she absently touched the comm in her ear to shut out MaX's muttered curses. Her eyes fell. "Well, I..."  
  
Straker sat forward. "Anny." He waited until she looked back at him, then said, "What are you doing here?"  
  
His face looked stern, but his voice was soft. AnE found him baffling. And mesmerizing. She gazed into those gorgeous eyes and said, "It was a mistake."  
  
He frowned. "What do you mean?"  
  
She gestured nervously with a hand. "I don't know." Damn it! He was being so kind to her. She wanted to tell him the truth. But that was out of the question.  
  
He watched her miserable features for a long moment, unsure how to proceed. It was odd. The things she said were an assortment of lies and truth, which wasn't so unusual in an interrogation. But the oddity was that it was the truths that made no sense, not the lies. He rubbed his eyes wearily.  
  
Then tensed as she moved and sat down next to him. She smiled reassuringly at him and took both his hands in her small ones. He stiffened. "What are you...?" His question was choked off in sheer surprise. Every muscle in his body went lax. And he no longer felt the least bit tired. He stared at her in astonishment. It took a moment before he could speak. "What did you do?"  
  
She sat back, releasing his hands with a smile. "You were all tensed up. That can hardly be good for your heart."  
  
"What did you do, Anny?"  
  
She frowned. Now he sounded angry. Go figure. "Pulse points. You know. Stress relief."  
  
He was completely bewildered. Why did she never make the least sense? "Pulse points?"  
  
"In your hands. There are other places, too. Shall I show you?" She leaned forward to open his jacket.  
  
And he jumped up. "No, thank you." He took a deep breath, trying to regain his customary calm. She had done something to him. By the mere touch of her hands, she had relaxed him more than he'd been... hell, in years! What had she done to him? For that matter, who was she that she could have that effect on him? "Are you a witch?"  
  
AnE looked at him worriedly. She knew what most time periods did to suspected witches. "No! Of course not. It's not magic. It's preventive medicine."  
  
He cautiously resumed his seat on the couch. "I see. Well, it worked," he said for lack of anything else to say.  
  
She grinned. "You're welcome."  
  
He met her eyes, a twinkle lighting his own. "Next time, give me some warning."  
  
"Okay." She reached up and lightly brushed his hair off his forehead. "When was the last time you relaxed, Straker?"  
  
Try as he would, he could not stop his response to her touch. Or her soft voice. "Anny..."  
  
She wanted--- badly--- to drown in those blue blue eyes. She came into his arms with a soft sigh.  
  
He kissed her. And instantly lost any control he ever possessed. She was like fire in his arms, burning away every thought--- except one. He pressed her closer with a groan. When he finally came up for air, he could barely catch his breath. She was one sweet column of passion in his arms, and he felt like kindling being consumed in that fire. He would have worried about it if he could have thought at all. But he was too caught up in feeling sensations never even imagined before to think anything beyond one word: now! now! now! He grasped the edges of her jacket and pulled, popping the front snaps open.  
  
And felt as if he'd just stepped under a cold shower. He stood up and paced the floor, trying desperately to get himself back in line. He took deep, gulping breaths, running his fingers through his hair.  
  
AnE watched him in silence, her breathing slowly returning to normal. But her body continued to quiver with passion and expectancy. "Straker?" she asked tentatively.  
  
He shuddered and closed his eyes. His voice was almost normal when he said, "Anny, I'm sorry."  
  
She frowned. "For what?"  
  
He looked over at her and quickly turned away. "Anny, for God's sake! Close your jacket!"  
  
She looked down at herself, sensing disapproval. "What's wrong with me?"  
  
He met her eyes, realizing with a shock that she was serious. "Anny! Nothing." He swallowed painfully and came back to the couch to snap the jacket himself with shaking fingers. "It's just that... you're not wearing a bra!"  
  
"A what?" she asked as MaX hissed a description in her ear. "Oh. It sounds uncomfortable. Is it necessary to wear it?"  
  
He looked at her, seeing her bewilderment and wondering at it. "No, Anny. It's just that... most women do." He stood up again, trying to clear his mind of the vivid image of her loveliness long enough to think properly. He knew he could understand her bizarre questions. If he could just think coherently.  
  
"Oh. Is it considered wrong not to wear undergarments, Straker?"  
  
He tried--- he really tried--- not to absorb the implications of that remark. He drew a shuddering breath and kept his eyes on her face when he said, "No. But it is... unusual."  
  
She gazed at him in silence, taking in his distance from the couch with a sigh. "Have I displeased you?"  
  
"Anny! No. Far from it."  
  
"Then why are you fighting your feelings, Straker? Do you not enjoy pleasure?"  
  
He shuddered, remembering all too clearly the pleasure he had experienced in her arms. "Yes, of course I do, Anny. It's just that... this is the wrong time and place for such things."  
  
She looked around the small room with a frown. "What is wrong with this place?"  
  
He choked back a laugh when he saw that she was serious. And sighed. Would he ever figure her out? "Anny, I need you to answer some questions for me. That's why we're here."  
  
"Then when we finish, we may pleasure each other?"  
  
He couldn't help the shudder that rocked through him at her words. She made it sound so... so... incredible. "I don't think so, Anny," he answered hoarsely.  
  
"Oh." She glanced at him from under her lashes. "Why do you deny yourself? Are you a pervert?"  
  
Straker blinked. "Excuse me?"  
  
She sighed. "You know. Do you prefer men?"  
  
"No! For God's sake, Anny!"  
  
She shrugged. "I'm just trying to understand."  
  
He sat down on the opposite couch. "I don't... have a lot of time for that sort of thing."  
  
She shook her head at him. "That is foolishness. It is important for total wellbeing to experience some pleasure every day. It needn't be lovemaking; it can be indulging a hobby or learning a new talent. But no one is at their optimum performance level when their schedule is unbalanced. One quarter day sleep, one quarter pleasure, and one half work is the most balanced way to live, Straker. You do yourself a disservice otherwise. How shall you ever rule the world if you do not take care of your own body's needs? You'll wear yourself out and die too young. Where is the glory in that?"  
  
Straker grinned at her. "So, we're back to that, huh? Anny, why are you so ambitious for me?"  
  
AnE sighed. "Because it is obvious that you are a very great man, Straker. Or you could be, if you'd just stir yourself and make some goals. You wear power as other men wear their skin. But you seem to be completely unaware of it. It is a waste."  
  
"You'll make a great political leader's wife someday, Anny."  
  
She inclined her head in response. Her current assignment was bedding Julius Caesar. If she ever got to Rome. "That is one of my goals." She looked at him curiously. "Tell me, Straker. How many wives do you possess?"  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
She considered. "I would take you for a 12-wifer, except that you do not look well fed. How many wives do you have?"  
  
He wondered if he would ever get to the place where her statements didn't confuse him. "I'm not married, Anny."  
  
"Not at all?"  
  
Her shock was almost amusing. "No. My work keeps me very busy. And relationships take time."  
  
"But who cares for your needs? Makes your meals? Warms your bed? Presses your suits?"  
  
He flushed slightly. "I manage pretty well on my own, Anny."  
  
She was appalled. "But... Straker! You mean you have no pleasure in your life at all?"  
  
"I play a little golf now and then when I have time."  
  
"Golf?"  
  
He sighed. "Anny, surely you know what golf is."  
  
"Oh, yes," she said as MaX hissed at her. "That sounds amusing. But you have other needs than that. Why would you deny yourself? And those who would make your life pleasanter for you?"  
  
"You make it sound like they're standing in line, Anny."  
  
She raised a brow at him. "And aren't they?"  
  
He blinked and frowned. What did she mean by that? "Anny, will you answer a couple of my questions, please? I think I've answered enough of yours."  
  
"I'll try."  
  
"Good. Where are you from?"  
  
"New York," she said, fervently hoping that such a place existed in this century. She was almost sure it did.  
  
"City?"  
  
"Um... yes," she said, unsure if he would understand if she said idistrict./i  
  
"Then you're American."  
  
"Um... yes." It seemed the safest answer.  
  
"Good. Where do you work, Anny?"  
  
She relaxed a little. These questions were not too difficult. "I work at Universal Trackers, Inc."  
  
He'd never heard of it. But he'd look it up. "In New York?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"What type of work do you do?"  
  
"I'm a research technohistorian."  
  
He looked blankly at her for a moment. "What's that?"  
  
She shrugged. "I study different aspects of history. Collate my findings with other researchers. Publish articles. Things like that."  
  
"Which aspects, Anny? Technology?"  
  
She grinned at his understanding. "Yes. My field of expertise is ancient scientific cultures and their technologies."  
  
He frowned, considering. "You mean, like who built the pyramids?"  
  
"Exactly that. Except that my specialty is Ancient Rome, not Egypt."  
  
"Ancient Rome." He looked at the toga sitting next to her on the couch and felt breathless for a moment at the implications. All of a sudden, most of her oddness made sense. If he was willing to believe the impossible. "Anny?"  
  
"Yes, Straker?"  
  
He took a breath. "How do you conduct your research?"  
  
She waved a careless hand. "Oh, you don't want to hear the technical details."  
  
"Face to face, Anny?" he persisted.  
  
She pressed her lips together and said nothing.  
  
"Anny?"  
  
She reluctantly met his gaze.  
  
"How did you get here this morning?"  
  
"What does that matter?"  
  
"It's important."  
  
She shrugged. "I don't know." She took a stab in the dark. "Public transport."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes. Why would I lie?" she challenged him.  
  
"Because, Anny. Our gate logs show that you never entered the grounds. Not today. Not yesterday. Not ever."  
  
"They made a mistake."  
  
He too had wondered about that. But not with Wells at the gate. He didn't buy it. He changed his line of questioning. "Anny, what day is today?"  
  
She blinked, more from the sudden cursing in her ear than from his odd question. She gave him a tentative smile. "That's a silly question. Surely you know what day it is?"  
  
"Yes. I do. Do you, Anny?"  
  
"Well, of course."  
  
When she didn't elaborate, he raised a disbelieving brow.  
  
AnE bit her lip. And MaX whispered, "Don't, Anny! One out of seven is not good odds!"  
  
"Um... Tuesday?"  
  
He smiled. "Not bad, Anny." She grinned in relief, and he added, "It's Friday."  
  
She gave a shrug. "Straker, I'm a scientist. It could be Sunday, and I wouldn't know. I don't keep track of inconsequentials."  
  
"Hmmm." She could be right. He glanced again at the gown, seeing how the room's overhead lighting glinted off its decorative trim and the metal of the sandals. He'd bet his life it was real gold. "Anny, here's one not so inconsequential. What year is this?"  
  
"We're dead. We're dead," murmured MaX despairingly in her ear, and she silenced him with a touch to her ear. She didn't need him distracting her at this moment.  
  
She met his eyes and said, "It's the late 1900's, isn't it?"  
  
He smiled at the hesitancy in her voice. "Yes, it is. Do you know the exact year?"  
  
She shrugged, knowing there was little chance of her getting this one correct. "Of course, I do! I'm absentminded, not institutionalized!"  
  
He leaned forward and took her restless hand in his. "Anny," he said softly. "What year is this?"  
  
She gulped, unable to look away from those piercing eyes. "19...82?"  
  
He squeezed her hand for a moment, then sat back. "Very good."  
  
She relaxed. "Thanks."  
  
"You're only three years off."  
  
She met his gaze and realized that he knew the truth. Damn. "Which way?" she asked curiously.  
  
Straker grinned. "It's 1985."  
  
"I knew that."  
  
"I'm sure you did." He looked at her in silence, absorbing the reality. It was almost more than he could accept. "Anny, what year is it back home?"  
  
She gave him a sly smile. "2243."  
  
He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Anny!" he said in wonder. "Do you know what that means?"  
  
She answered cheekily, "I'm lost?"  
  
That got his attention. "Are you, Anny?" he asked softly, remembering his impression when he'd entered the lounge earlier. She shrugged and looked away, and he realized that it embarrassed her to be somewhere she knew nothing about. "How did you get here?"  
  
"I was supposed to be set down at the Colosseum. But there was a computer malfunction, and I ended up at the Colosseum on your lot instead."  
  
"And we've given you nothing but trouble," he said sadly.  
  
AnE smiled softly. "Oh, it wasn't all bad."  
  
He came over to her on the other couch, laying a lean hand against her cheek. "I'm glad. Anny, you're a marvel."  
  
His voice was as much a caress as his hand was, and AnE blushed. She met his blue eyes and felt quite breathless. "It doesn't bother you, Straker?" she whispered.  
  
"What? That you haven't even been born yet? Not at all. Do you mind being with a man centuries older than you?"  
  
She grinned. "I like older men."  
  
He kissed her sassy lips. "Anny. Do you know what it means to have you here?"  
  
"Tell me."  
  
He gazed deeply into her exotic green eyes. "It means that we made it. We survived. We won."  
  
She tried to follow him. "Yes. Did you think we wouldn't?"  
  
His hand speared through her thick hair to caress the back of her scalp. "Oh, yes. Often. But never again, Anny. Thanks to you."  
  
"Straker!" she moaned, her eyes closing as he skimmed her jawline with kisses. She grabbed hold of his jacket front for support as her knees went weak. "Don't deny yourself this time. Please don't!"  
  
"No, Anny. I won't," he murmured, pressing her closer. "I'm too happy to deny either of us a thing."  
  
***  
  
Time was so strange, he thought as he slowly ran his hand through her long hair. Her even breathing told him that she slept, at least for the moment, and he took the opportunity to catch his breath and marshal his thoughts. She was an incredibly enthusiastic lover, taking him from height to height over and over again as if her entire being was concerned with only each moment and the pleasure it provided them. And time had seemed to stand still, slowing to the point where each moan, each caress, had echoed forever in his head. His body still quivered with occasional aftershocks, and he wondered with some irony what time it was?  
  
She sighed in her sleep, and he brought her more comfortably to rest on his chest. He knew he couldn't keep her. That the technicians in her time would fix whatever error had brought her here, and she would return home. Or perhaps to ancient Rome to do her research. It was difficult to imagine. But she wouldn't be here. And he had to find some way of accepting that.  
  
AnE stirred and opened her eyes. A lean hand was stroking her hair so sensuously that she wanted to purr like a cat. And her cheek rested against a lean, hairy chest. She sighed, never wanting to move. She looked into eyes so blue and beautiful that her own eyes stung. Gods, what a man! She smiled and murmured, "Rome is going to be dull after this."  
  
Straker fervently hoped so. But he doubted it. "How long do we have?"  
  
She said softly, "MaX?"  
  
The technician's voice came over the comm. "AnE, we're ready to bring you back anytime. I didn't say anything before, because... well, there didn't seem to be any hurry."  
  
"Thanks, MaX." She looked at Straker as he lay on the carpet, her gold leaf headpiece perched rakishly on his head. She couldn't help smiling, even though her heart was breaking. "I have to go back. Straker, I wish..."  
  
He pressed a finger against her lips, knowing he would falter if she did. "I'll never forget you, Anny."  
  
She kissed his finger, then slowly got to her feet to put her pulla on. "I'll never forget you either, Straker. And to think that I was looking forward to meeting Caesar!" She grinned at him, but said when he went to get up, "Please. Don't dress yet. I want to remember you this way."  
  
He shook his head at her, but stayed where he was as she dressed. It was odd, but the ancient gown seemed more suited to her than the contemporary clothes had. She wore the toga with such an air. He handed her the headpiece when she finished straightening her hair, forcing back the words that would beg her to stay.  
  
She looked at him solemnly for a long moment, then handed him the small pouch she had been about to secure to her hip clasp. His mouth opened to automatically refuse whatever it was, but she said, "Allow me this. Use it for your conquering army."  
  
He grinned. And wished very much that he could tell her about his army. But he had no idea if people in her time even knew that SHADO existed. So he simply said, "Thank you."  
  
Her beautiful eyes met his for a minute, a lifetime, then she said quietly, "Okay, MaX," and disappeared from the Twentieth century.  
  
Straker stared at the spot where she had stood for a long time, then finally reached for his pants.  
  
Chapter 3  
  
MaX met her eyes as she came off the padd, but wisely made no comment when she looked his way. He simply said, "The Time Board wants your report on the incident within the hour, and you're scheduled to leave for Rome in about two."  
  
AnE nodded dispiritedly as she headed for the door. "Almost enough time to freshen my makeup."  
  
The tech gave the quip the chuckle it deserved, but he had to force it out. He could only hope as she left the lab that once the report was in and she was preparing to go to Rome, her initial enthusiasm would have kicked back into gear. This trip was the culmination of years of research, and AnE had been so excited--- was it only this morning?--- to finally meet Caesar.  
  
But when she returned to the lab for the countdown, he could tell that she'd been crying. He wished there was something he could say to make things easier for her, but since she acted as though nothing was amiss, he was at a loss to know what it would be. So he guided her through the equipment check, not bothering to make any snide comments about deja-vu as he set the coordinates for the Colosseum. And she was similarly silent. He couldn't remember a time when they hadn't been arguing or joking at the start of any expedition. He sighed, not knowing how to bring things back to normal.  
  
But in the end, it was easy. AnE's first comment from the Colosseum was, "Damn it, MaX! You've set me down in the gladiator pit!"  
  
***  
  
"You don't seem to be worried."  
  
Straker looked up from his contemplation of the paperweight in his hands. He said, "I'm not, Alec. We're only asking for fifty percent more allocations than last year. Henderson should be ecstatic."  
  
Freeman sipped his bourbon thoughtfully. "He'll probably suspect a plot."  
  
The commander grinned. It had been interesting these past months to watch how nervous the general got when Straker wasn't demanding funds from him. Henderson had even taken to dropping in to HQ from time to time just to see what was going on. Straker was enjoying his bafflement. He looked at the glass globe in his hands and smiled softly.  
  
Alec caught the look and said, "That's an intriguing paperweight, Ed. Where'd you get it?"  
  
"Oh, I had it made a while ago." Straker set it down on his desk as if it meant nothing, but couldn't resist running a finger across its surface.  
  
His friend frowned. "What is that coin inside it? Is it real?"  
  
Straker's eyes twinkled. "Oh, yes. Quite genuine. Quite old."  
  
Alec grunted into his drink. "Then it must be valuable."  
  
"Yes." For some reason, the commander's smile widened. "Ancient Roman coins are very rare."  
  
"So you've taken up coin collecting along with everything else?" Alec didn't understand his friend's recent change of habits. Straker had shortened his work schedule, for one, when Alec had been certain that nothing short of death would keep him out of SHADO 18 out of every 24 hours. Then he'd started trying out different hobbies during his free time. He'd brushed up on his piano skills, improved his golf swing, even taken up painting. Alec suppressed a shudder. Thankfully that hobby hadn't lasted long. Straker was no Renoir. He'd finally settled on gardening and seemed quite happy to putter among his roses for hours. It was damned odd.  
  
In fact, Alec had been worried enough to ask Col. Lake about it. He didn't usually discuss such personal aspects of the commander's life with his fellow officers, but he needed feedback, and Ginny was so level-headed. He could trust her to see between the lines for him. She had heard him out in silence, but had merely said at the end that Straker was probably going through a midlife crisis, and it would be best to let him get it out of his system. Then she had looked at him with those serious gray eyes of hers and asked, "Do you prefer him stressed out, Alec?" So he had let it go. But he didn't stop wondering about it.  
  
Straker's grin became positively wicked at Alec's question. "In a way. You know, Alec. It's amazing what people will pay for one of these things. Far more than the gold itself is worth." And the gold was worth a lot.  
  
"I'll take your word for it." Alec didn't care about his friend's hobby. He was more concerned about why the commander wasn't worried about this semiannual council meeting. Straker was usually stressed to the limit when these came up. But here it was, almost time for him to leave, and he was fiddling with his paperweight. Alec didn't get it, midlife crisis or not. "It'll be good to finally get a second Moonbase," he said, hoping to get the commander to talk.  
  
"Yes." Straker smiled. And to equip it with some of their improved technology. Research and Development had been incredibly productive with the funds he'd been sending their way in the past six months. The submarines were already fitted with the new systems, and the new interceptors were being prepared for their test run later today. It felt good to finally have the means to protect Earth properly. He ran a finger down the glass of the paperweight. It felt very good.  
  
Alec raised a brow at the brevity of his answer. "I'm surprised that's all you're asking for this year."  
  
"Well, it's not exactly peanuts, Alec. But I think Henderson can fit it in his budget. We haven't strained his purse at all this year. He should be thankful."  
  
The colonel met that bland gaze and sighed. He wanted--- he really wanted-- - to ask Ed where he'd gotten the money to do all he'd accomplished recently. Their penny-pinching general certainly hadn't provided it. And although the studio was doing well, it couldn't possibly supply the dollar amounts necessary to keep SHADO ahead of the game. So where had the money come from? But he was afraid to ask. He wasn't sure he could handle knowing. Ed wasn't above being unscrupulous where SHADO was concerned when he felt the situation warranted it. And Alec had enough to deal with right now without a new problem to handle. He'd been in charge of Project Target that had built the new interceptors. And today would be the big test run to see if all the hard work had paid off. He was nervous as hell. "Going?" he asked as Straker stood up from behind his desk and picked up his briefcase.  
  
"Yes," the commander said with a smile. "Wish me luck."  
  
"You bet," Freeman said with a smile that lasted only until the commander had left the office. Damn it! What was wrong with Ed?  
  
***  
  
It was amazing the things that went on in a ruler's chambers. MaX felt that he'd learned far more about Caesar in the past few months than he had ever wanted to know. It was good to have AnE home. Even hf she still blamed him for the gladiator fiasco. And it was especially good to have her back to her old self again. He'd been worried about her. But she had hardly waited to change clothing before starting on her dissertation on the effects of Caesar's whims on the scientific community of Ancient Rome. It promised to blow every accepted belief on the subject sky high. MaX couldn't wait. Trust AnE to keep things lively. He grinned as he saw her at the computer terminal as he entered the lab. It was fairly early in the morning, but here she was, working away.  
  
As he came up behind her, however, his grin turned downward. She wasn't writing her dissertation. She was doing research. On that Straker guy. "Damn it, AnE!"  
  
She jumped and swung around on her stool to meet his eyes guiltily. "Oh, MaX! Give me some grace here! I'm just curious."  
  
He harrumphed and went to his own terminal to get to work. "I thought you'd gotten over it. You're not doing yourself any good hanging on like that."  
  
She didn't bother to tell him that she had caught herself constantly searching the crowds in Rome for a pair of blue blue eyes. Or that she had learned how to cry very quietly, so that even the sensitive comm link couldn't pick it up. She knew it was foolish to hold on to those memories; that he was a computer glitch and nothing more. But she'd been incapable of putting it behind her. And she needed to know how to resolve it in her own mind and heart. She needed to know if he had ever fulfilled his potential. If he'd had the chance to rule the world, or even just the district of England. If he'd ever married. "I'm fine, MaX. Really. Did you know that he was a colonel in the Air Force?"  
  
"Oh, yeah? What'd he do?" MaX found the military through the ages fascinating.  
  
"Well, it looks like he was a pilot. Yes, and he had astronaut experience apparently. But his main work seemed to be Military Intelligence."  
  
"What?"  
  
She looked up from the screen, surprised by the sharpness of his question. He was staring at her in disbelief. "What did I say?"  
  
MaX came around to her terminal and checked the screen. "AnE," he explained as he studied the information. "A man with that kind of background doesn't become a film producer."  
  
She remembered how surprised she'd been to find out his occupation when she met him. "What does a man like that become, MaX?"  
  
"A general, at the very least." He reluctantly returned to his own work after a minute, certain that there was more to the situation than they were seeing. "Try following his career and cross- referencing to anything military that pops up."  
  
"Okay." After several minutes, she said quietly, "MaX? What's SHADO?"  
  
"AnE, everyone knows what a shadow is. Get serious."  
  
"No, MaX. SHADO. He was Commander-in-Chief of it for years."  
  
MaX glanced up from his work with a frown. "Never heard of it. Did you try to get more details?"  
  
"Yes, but everything it's giving me is encrypted. Why would it do that?"  
  
"God, AnE! Don't try to access it!" He was at her terminal in a flash. "Do you want to lose your lab privileges? The Time Board does not appreciate anyone tampering with encrypted files."  
  
AnE was frowning. "But why would they be encrypted, MaX? What was this SHADO?"  
  
His worried gaze met hers. "I don't know. Best stay out of it, though."  
  
She sighed and returned to Straker's personal history. "Okay. But I knew he wasn't just a vidflick idol. Not him." MaX nodded absently, back at his own terminal once more. After a few minutes, AnE said, "Gods! He was beautiful even as a child!"  
  
"AnE, you're obsessed."  
  
"No. Really. It's those eyes, MaX!" She looked up with a frown when he gasped. "What is it?"  
  
His eyes were open very wide as he stared at his screen. "Maybe you'd better see it for yourself."  
  
She came around to his terminal and looked at the screen, which was covered with a large circle. Inside the circle stood a silhouette of a man and his shadow, while a long rectangle intersected the side of the circle with the letters SHADO in its red interior. "MaX! How did you get past the encryption codes?"  
  
He grinned. "You just have to know what you're doing. It's not for amateurs. Look at this, AnE." He pointed to the description beneath the symbol. The heading read: Supreme Headquarters Alien Defense Organisation.  
  
AnE gasped. "Alien? MaX? Does that mean alien alien?"  
  
"I think so. Look." And he brought up a screen that showed one of the aliens. "Have you ever seen anyone like this, AnE?"  
  
She shook her head. "Never. Who are they?"  
  
"I don't know. It doesn't say. It's possible that they didn't know. But it certainly isn't any race I can identify. And look at these ships! It isn't anyone in the Alliance, AnE. I guarantee you that."  
  
She was frowning at the alien ship. "How could they come here and no one know about it? That doesn't make any sense. And if we were defending ourselves against them, how did we do it? We didn't have anything close to that kind of technology in that time period. Hell, MaX! They were still using ground transportation when I was there! How did they fight them?"  
  
MaX rubbed his chin. "That's a good question. Hey, remember that Straker guy being surprised that they won? You know, because you were from the future and everything was fine?"  
  
"Yes. He said that he often thought that we wouldn't make it. I thought he was just being negative, but he was serious, wasn't he?"  
  
MaX shook his head. "Can you imagine those odds, AnE?"  
  
She turned a troubled face toward him. "No. It must have been terrible for them." For him. She went back to her own terminal thoughtfully. After a while, she said, "MaX? Check the technological developments from that organisation."  
  
"Right!" he answered, shifting screens rapidly until he found what he wanted. "Necessity being the mother of invention, and all that. Oh, wow! They had Targeting capabilities."  
  
She looked at him in surprise over the top of her terminal. "They did not."  
  
"It's right here, AnE. Of course, it's pretty rudimentary. Nothing like what we have today. But it's there."  
  
"But that's impossible! MaX, that technology was only invented in the last thirty years!"  
  
"I'm telling you, AnE, it's here. Along with a few other interesting items. Come see for yourself."  
  
She ran a hand through her short crop of hair. "Okay. There's got to be a reason for it. Who is credited with the advances, MaX?"  
  
He checked. "Some scientist named Kelly. He seems to have been quite the genius. All the really big advances were his."  
  
AnE frowned in thought. "Was he one of ours?"  
  
"A researcher? I'll see." He worked his way through Kelly's personal history. "No, AnE. He was just an average guy. As nondescript as a zuda."  
  
"He couldn't have been. Maybe he was a visionary."  
  
"Oh, come on, AnE!"  
  
She gave him a stern look. "Listen, MaX. Whether you want to accept it or not, every era had its own visionaries, those who could glimpse the future and grasp pieces of it for themselves. How else do you explain some of the leaps of insight that kept the scientific field going strong over the centuries?"  
  
"I don't know, AnE. He doesn't have the personality traits of most of your so-called visionaries. He wasn't reclusive, antisocial, or insane. He really was a zuda."  
  
"Okay, then," she said as she flicked from screen to screen showing detailed photographs of Straker over the years. "Check his team. If it wasn't him, then it was someone who worked under him."  
  
"That's right! Scientists used to always get the credit for everything their team did, didn't they? I'm surprised more of them didn't die mysteriously, you know?"  
  
AnE chuckled. "You never know, MaX. The scientific mind can be very creative."  
  
He gave her a mock frown. "Don't get any ideas."  
  
She grinned unrepentantly. After a few minutes, she said, "Hey, MaX! Straker was married!" "When you were there?"  
  
"No. Early on. He was divorced by the time I met him. Gods, what kind of idiot divorces a man like that?" She pulled up another screen and scowled at the image. "Oh. Well. That kind, I guess. I don't know, MaX. Why would he get mixed up with a piece of fluff like that?" When he didn't answer, she glanced over at him. He was standing staring at the screen in front of him, looking a bit green. "MaX?" She quickly came around to his terminal, saying, "You found Kelly's research team?"  
  
He nodded, still looking shellshocked.  
  
AnE glanced at the screen. And felt her knees buckle. "Gods!"  
  
Beside her, MaX said numbly, "I think we'd better talk to the Time Board."  
  
***  
  
"Red alert! This is a red alert!" SID's mechanical voice announced the alarm as SHADO's radar picked up three UFOs heading toward Earth. Alec eyed the commander worriedly. They were in the middle of the test run.  
  
Straker's lips compressed momentarily, then he said, "Well, Alec. It looks like we're going to get the chance to see the new interceptors in combat conditions. Send them in."  
  
"Right." Col. Freeman spoke to Lt. Bradley, the squadron leader, over the microphone and gave the order to attack.  
  
"Yes, sir." Bradley replied. Then he informed the other two pilots of the change of plan. Outside Earth's atmosphere, in that vast region of space between the moon and the Earth, three small interceptors tracked and locked onto the three incoming UFOs. Meanwhile, Moonbase kept careful watch, collating data constantly in case the interceptors' new onboard computers failed in any way. On Earth, SHADO HQ awaited the outcome as patiently as possible.  
  
Within minutes, they had their answer. "Squadron leader to Control," Lt. Bradley said over the speakers. "Detonation positive. All three targets destroyed."  
  
"Roger. Return to Moonbase," Col. Freeman told them calmly, his voice not betraying his excitement. But later, in Straker's office, he toasted the interceptor pilots with a grin. "To SHADO's best and bravest!"  
  
The commander was grinning as well. "It's looking good, Alec. The new interceptors really did well. The aliens will have to fight harder than ever before to break through our defenses from now on."  
  
Freeman grunted into his drink, becoming thoughtful. "And when they do?"  
  
Straker sat back and tossed his paperweight from hand to hand. "Hopefully, we'll be ready for them."  
  
Alec sipped in silence. Then he said, "It's good to hear you sounding optimistic again, Ed. For a while there, you seemed ready to give up."  
  
"Never that, Alec," his friend assured him. "But I won't deny that I was getting discouraged. It hasn't been easy, losing ground to them over and over again. It seems like every time we came up with a way to combat their latest scheme, they'd try something new, and we'd be back where we started. But now, it's as though we're actually getting the jump on them. And that's a first."  
  
"It is good to be ahead of the game for once," Alec agreed. "And it's nice to see you so relaxed, too."  
  
Straker looked up and met his friend's eyes. And sighed at the expression he saw there. "What is it, Alec?" he asked quietly.  
  
Freeman sat forward in his chair. "I'm just a little curious about it, that's all. Paul thinks you're seeing someone."  
  
"He would. And what does Virginia say?"  
  
"Midlife crisis."  
  
Straker chuckled. "I see. And your opinion, Alec?"  
  
His friend shrugged. "I don't know, Ed. I'm glad about it, don't get me wrong. But I'm at a loss how to explain it. I've never seen you like this. You wore your stress like a badge."  
  
"Yes. And it was burning me out, too." Straker gazed into the glass paperweight for a while, then seemed to return to the present. "Frankly, Alec, I don't know how long I could have kept up the pace. It would have killed me sooner or later."  
  
"Is that what happened, Ed? Did you almost die? Is that what made you slow down?"  
  
"No." That soft smile was back on the commander's face as he looked at the paperweight. "It was quite the opposite, actually."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Yes. I was shown what life could be like. And I decided it was worth doing right."  
  
Alec thought about that for a while. "So, Ginny was right?"  
  
Straker grinned and sat forward. "Actually, Paul was." The colonel's eyebrows raised. "No kidding? Who is she, Ed? Will I get to meet her?"  
  
The commander shook his head. "No, Alec. It wasn't possible for us to continue seeing each other. Her world and mine are just too... different."  
  
"I'm sorry." Alec watched him toy with the paperweight for a few minutes. Then he said, "I'm surprised you didn't find some way to make it work, Ed."  
  
Straker gave him a rueful look. "I'm not omnipotent, Alec. Even I have to concede that occasionally there are circumstances that I can't alter to suit what I want."  
  
"What was she like?"  
  
"Anny?" The commander sat back in his chair with a soft smile as he tried to define her. "Unique, Alec. She was quite... unique."  
  
The door to his office opened just then, and Lt. Ford entered. "Sir," he said, handing the commander a report, "Lt. Bradley radioed down his preliminary report for you."  
  
Straker frowned as he accepted the papers. "That's quick. Shouldn't this go to Alec?"  
  
The lieutenant said, "He said specifically to give it to you, sir."  
  
"Very well, Lieutenant. Thank you." Ford left, and Straker gave his second in command an inquiring look.  
  
Alec shrugged. "Beats me, Ed. Maybe you'd better have a look."  
  
Straker opened the report and skimmed it. Then went back and looked at it more closely. When he glanced back up at his friend, his expression was deadly serious. "My God! Look at this, Alec!"  
  
Freeman took the papers and read. "What on earth? Ed, according to this, those UFOs were packing heavy artillery when they exploded. Look at the levels of radiation alone!"  
  
"Yes." The commander was grim. "There's no doubt about it, Alec. They were planning a powerful assault, probably on HQ itself. It seems as though we got those new interceptors just in time."  
  
"Jesus!"  
  
"Were you planning on going to the lab today, Alec?"  
  
"Yeah. I wanted to congratulate them on all their hard work on this project. Why?"  
  
Straker sat back and folded his hands. "I'd like to go with you. They may have saved the lives of everyone in SHADO today, Alec. I'd like to congratulate them myself."  
  
***  
  
Kelly looked up from studying a report with a lab tech as Col. Freeman entered his office. "Hello, Colonel," he said, then stood quickly as Commander Straker followed Freeman into the office. "Sir!"  
  
"Hello, Kelly." The commander came forward and shook his hand. "It's good to see you again. Your team's hard work paid off today. I thought I'd come down and congratulate all of you in person."  
  
"Thank you, sir." Kelly glanced meaningfully at the lab tech, who instantly understood and left the room. "We heard that you got them all. It's good news, sir."  
  
"Yes." Straker glanced at Alec to see if he had a comment to make, but his friend seemed content to let him handle things. "May I speak to the men?"  
  
"Of course, sir!" Kelly came from behind his desk and led them into the hall. "We're already making some progress on the radar tracking system for HQ. Our goal is to lock onto them and be able to tell exactly where they're headed on the surface."  
  
"That's great." Straker entered the large lab where the lab technician and two other men stood tinkering with some computer parts. "Gentlemen."  
  
"Sir," they answered in unison, trying to look as though they were working instead of celebrating. One of the men leaned forward to surreptitiously push a bottle of bubbly a little farther into the cubbyhole under the table while the other hid a corkscrew in his pocket.  
  
Kelly said, "Commander, this is Major Asimov. Lt. Finney." Straker shook their hands, and the scientist gestured to the lab technician. "And this is Twain, sir. He's our hardware man."  
  
Straker said, "It's an honor, gentlemen, to have the opportunity to tell you how pleased we are with the work you've done. The new interceptors are better than we expected."  
  
"Thank you, sir," the men answered, while Kelly looked around the lab with a frown.  
  
"What is it, Kelly?" the commander asked when he noticed.  
  
"Where's Lt. Rome?" the scientist asked the men.  
  
Before they could answer him, the side door to the lab opened and a young woman entered carrying several plastic cups. "Hey, guys!" she said. "They hid the good china, but I found these."  
  
A hiss from one of the men greeted her words, and she stopped in the middle of the room and looked around. And smiled. "Hello, Straker."  
  
He looked stunned. "Anny!"  
  
Alec's eyes narrowed, and Kelly said, "I guess you've already met then."  
  
Straker blinked, drew himself up, and addressed them all. "We'd like to reward you for your efforts with a halfday off. With pay, of course."  
  
"Effective immediately, sir?" asked the lab tech with a grin.  
  
"Naturally."  
  
"In that case..." Twain reached under the table for the bottle and put it under his arm, heading out of the lab. Asimov and Finney smiled somewhat sheepishly and followed him from the room.  
  
"Thank you, sir," Kelly said, not bothering to try and justify the presence of alcohol in the lab.  
  
Straker nodded absently, still staring at Anny.  
  
Kelly raised his brows toward Col. Freeman as if to say, "What's this?" But Alec only shrugged, his eyes on his friend. The scientist thought it prudent to leave the room.  
  
The commander came over to where Anny stood and laid a shaky hand against her cheek. "Anny?" he whispered, still very much in shock. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I work here," she answered with a smile, setting the plastic cups down on the lab table.  
  
His beautiful eyes were confused. "How?"  
  
Her smile became a grin. "I was transferred."  
  
He blinked. "When did you get here?"  
  
"Right after I left," she answered cheekily.  
  
Straker frowned. "And you didn't contact me?"  
  
"Well, I didn't want you to tell me I couldn't stay." She shrugged. "I knew we'd meet sooner or later, so I just waited."  
  
He rubbed her cheek with an absent thumb as he considered. Then he met her eyes in astonishment. "Anny! You work here. You're part of the research team!"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"But... the improved technology! Anny, have you changed time?"  
  
"Not in the least," she answered cheekily.  
  
"How can that be?"  
  
She turned her head and kissed his palm. "It's simple. The records show that I was here. So--- I'm here!"  
  
"Anny." He closed the small distance between them in one lithe move and kissed her. Alec raised a brow and left the lab, softly closing the door behind him.  
  
When the commander drew back, he studied her face carefully. "I can't believe it! You're really here!"  
  
"Yes," she purred as he caressed her scalp with his fingers. "Rome was a dead bore without you. I missed you, Straker."  
  
"God! I missed you, too!" He kissed her again, more forcefully this time. And urged her closer still with unsteady hands. She moaned and pressed against his hard body. In one swift movement, he lifted her onto the edge of the table and drew her legs around him.  
  
Anny shuddered and tried to hold onto sanity, but his mouth was at her throat and his tongue was making its way toward the low collar of her shirt, while his hands...! "Straker!" she gasped.  
  
He murmured a protest.  
  
She tried again. "Straker! There are cameras in this lab!"  
  
It seemed to take forever for him to absorb that information. Then he slowly eased away from her and met her eyes. "Cameras?" he asked huskily.  
  
"Yes," she said weakly.  
  
"Oh." He lifted her down from the table and smoothed her hair. "Anny," he said softly. "Do you live far from here?"  
  
She grinned at him, pleased at the quickness of his mind. "I have a flat in London."  
  
"Hmmm. I think my place will be closer. Did you drive today?"  
  
She shook her head. "I took the train."  
  
"Good." Straker took her hand, layering his fingers through hers so that their palms were pressed close. And led her from the lab.  
  
When they reached the main lobby, they saw Alec and Kelly at the security guard's console. Straker met the colonel's grin with his blandest gaze and said, "Alec, I need the car keys. I'm stranding you here."  
  
"No problem," his friend replied. "I'll have Kelly here drop me at the studio on his way home." He tossed the keys to his superior, then asked, "I suppose you want me to keep an eye on things for the rest of the day?"  
  
"Please," Straker said as if there was nothing unusual in the request. "I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
"Right." Alec continued to grin as the commander left with Lt. Rome. But inside, he was breathing a sigh of relief that she had rejected his advances over the past few months. Damn! That could have been a very sticky situation!  
  
Kelly asked him as they left the building, "What did the commander mean about changing time?"  
  
Alec shook his head. "I haven't a clue."  
  
***  
  
Straker came out onto his brick patio and put his arms around Anny's tiny waist from behind. She sighed and leaned against him, but said nothing as she continued watching the stars.  
  
He kissed the top of her head and murmured, "Regrets, Anny?"  
  
She turned in his arms and met his eyes. "No, Ed. Well... maybe one. I'm sorry that I ever left."  
  
He smiled, but turned serious again when he asked, "How long are you here for, Anny?"  
  
"For good."  
  
He frowned. "I don't understand. This time period isn't your area of expertise, Anny. You know nothing about it. Why would you be assigned here?"  
  
She ran her hands inside the waistline of his robe and around his back with a contented sigh. "I do know something about it. I studied up before I came back."  
  
He leaned his forehead on hers. "Anny. Why?"  
  
"Every great once in a while, the Time Board sends a researcher to a specific time period for the rest of their life. It doesn't happen often, but I know of a few cases. It's always for a very good reason."  
  
"And their reason this time?"  
  
"They had been studying the consequences of my incident. You know, the computer glitch that sent me here. And they found me, Ed. Here. In the past. They even showed me my death certificate." She shrugged. "So they sent me here, since I obviously was here."  
  
He shook his head. "It sounds a lot like predestination, Anny. Weren't you given a choice?"  
  
"Of course. They wouldn't dream of forcing me."  
  
"And you chose this time period over ancient Rome?"  
  
She smiled at him and said simply, "You weren't there."  
  
"Oh, Anny." He kissed her. And felt his senses stir again at the wonder of her. "And you don't mind being here?"  
  
"You said it yourself, Straker. I was destined to be the wife of a great man."  
  
He grinned in surprise and delight. "Does that mean you'll marry me?"  
  
She eyed him from beneath her lashes. "I don't know. I haven't been asked yet."  
  
"Oh, Anny!" he said, laying his cheek against hers in complete bliss. "I do love you." 


End file.
